Son of Sannin
by The Shugokage
Summary: What would happen if Naruto was raised by Tsunade and Jiraiya? What would life be like when they came back to Konoha? Will the village accept him, or hate him? Naruto/Hinata, others possible but not planned.
1. Prologue & Six Years Later

Son of Sannin

by The Shugokage

Prologue

He stood atop the tower staring out at the raging mass of chakra before the walls of his village: he had hoped the demon would pass by. With a silence belying his advancing age, his old sensei landed next to him holding a small ball of cloth.

"I still can't believe you're doing this." Jiraiya grumbled. "For Kami's sake Minato it's not too late. Tell me how to do it! You're a father now, years of diaper-changing and horseplay ahead of you, and the Hokage on top of that. You can't just throw your life away like this!"

Namikaze Minato, the Yondaime Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato, turned to face his former teacher. "I can't ask anyone to do something I wouldn't do myself Sensei. Besides, he's here. There's not enough time to teach you the jutsu even if I wanted to." He glanced back out at the demon. "Just promise me you'll take care of him, and Kushina, alright? This village should know he's a hero, my little Naruto."

Grimly, the old sage nodded. He knew there was no talking the Yondaime out of this, not now. He watched silently as his best student ran through the hand signs, calling upon the Shinigami himself to bring the Kyuubi no Kitsune's reign of terror to an end. With a howl that made even a hardened ninja like Jiraiya flinch, there was a flash of light and then, nothing. The demon was gone, as was his protégé. Victory was theirs, but at a painful and agonizingly high cost. In his arms, Naruto began to cry.

Moments later the old ninja stepped down into the Hokage's office, now occupied by his old sensei, Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Sandaime Hokage, and Senju Tsunade, Jiraiya's former teammate. Without giving him opportunity to ask, she looked up from the floor, tears running down her pale porcelain cheeks. "She didn't make it. In her condition, the chakra pressure was too much. She's gone." Naruto only cried harder. Handing the baby to Tsunade, the old toad sage moved aside the aging Hokage. "So what now? With no one to raise him... the orphanage? Can we really do that to Minato's son?"

Sarutobi sighed heavily. "I'm sure a number of families would be willing to take the boy in, especially with the love there was for the Yondaime. What worries me is how the family would react once he starts manifesting the Kyuubi's chakra. You did say Minato designed the seal to allow him eventual control of the demon, correct?" Jiraiya nodded. "Actually, he'll absorb the chakra. In time, if he lives long enough, there wont be a Kyuubi anymore, only Naruto with total possession and control of the demon's chakra."

"Why not take him away from here?" Both men looked to Tsunade, still cradling the now-sleeping Naruto in her arms. "I'm serious. We know the truth; who else needs to? No one knows about him, right? Why not just leave and save the explanations? Most people wouldn't understand how he did it anyway. He defeated the demon but it cost him his life in the process. What more do they need to know?"

Sarutobi nodded. "That's true, but what of Naruto? You suggest taking him away from his village. To where? Where would be safer than a hidden ninja village?"

"The wild" Jiraiya offered. "Even if there are families here that would take him in, once he starts using the fox's chakra people will think he's the demon reincarnated come back to finish what he started. There would be mobs crying for his blood within days, if not hours. Or worse, one of the clans might try to control him to their own ends. Or even Danzou. It's not worth the risk keeping him here."

Tsunade nodded. "I'll raise him. If anyone asks, I adopted him because he is what Dan and I never had." At this her eyes began to water.

"Looks like there's more truth to that than you'll admit, gorgeous" the old hermit chimed.

"Shut it you old lecher, you're going to help too. He's going to need a father-figure and you're it."

"Well, if you two are this adamant about it I suppose it will have to do. Even so, I want him to come back eventually: Naruto is a part of this village, even if he won't grow up here. And if he turns out anything like his father, he may even take my place one day. Both of you know how old I am: I can't keep this job forever. Eventually a Godaime will have to be named, and it will be either one of you if someone more suitable cannot be found." Sarutobi lit his pipe. "But that's a matter for another time. Will you at least stay for Minato's funeral?"

The two Sannin exchanged glances, and nodded. "We can do that."

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Chapter 1: Six Years Later

"Are we there yet?"

If there was one thing Naruto hated, it was waiting. It'd been days since they left Waterfall village and baachan still wouldn't tell him where they were going. Even though he liked surprises this was starting to get on his nerves. Of course, being a six-year-old it didn't take much to get on his nerves. First Jiraiya-ojiisama stops by for the first time in months but didn't teach him any new moves, then he tells them to pack up. He looked upset, which Naruto didn't understand at all, but nevertheless complied. He'd learned it wasn't a good idea to get on Tsunade-baachan's bad side, and Shizune-neechan was always nice and helped him pack.

"I swear kid, if you say that one more time I'm gonna throw you off the nearest cliff" Jiraiya threatened. He knew raising kids wouldn't be a walk in the park, but this was just annoying. And if he thought this was bad, Tsunade certainly must have been through worse. He'd been gone most of Naruto's life due to the needs of his spy network, not to mention Tsunade would kill him for keeping up on his 'research.' "We're almost there, alright?"

"Don't worry Naruto, once we get there we'll go get something to eat, okay?" Shizune looked down at the boy with a smile and Naruto's face brightened considerably. If there was one way to calm the boy down, she knew, it was through his stomach.

Tsunade just shook her head. For a child so stubborn and difficult to deal with at times, he was unusually simple to please. But then, he'd always been that way. Naruto never wanted much: it seemed that as long as he had his family and the occasional scroll the learn from he was content. Ever since seeing his first jutsu he'd been pestering her or Shizune constantly to teach him. It was aggravating, but whenever they did take time to teach him basic education or jutsu, he was rapt with attention. He learned quickly, which was good, but over the last 2 years she'd nearly ran out of things to teach him. While his chakra control was above average for a boy his age, it was nowhere near good enough to perform many of the more useful medical jutsu she knew. Beyond basic first aid and diagnosis jutsu, his medical knowledge was nil. And no matter how hard she tried to teach him, how patient she tried to be, the boy just had no understanding whatsoever of genjustu. Shizune tried teaching him poisons but he didn't have any interest. In that aspect he was very much like his father: hand-to-hand, very direct and to the point. He once even told her that he didn't like poisons or sedatives because he wanted to see the results of his efforts immediately, not wait for them to take over. With that in mind she'd refrained from showing her strength techniques, knowing that Naruto would never stop begging her until he learned them. And with Jiraiya's inconsistent presence, it was hard for Naruto to learn anything from the old pervert at all. Sure, he'd left jutsu scrolls, but most were beyond Naruto's current ability.

She sighed heavily. Despite appearances she didn't hate Jiraiya as much as people thought. Sure, he was a lecherous pervert who never stopped his sexual advances on her, but he was also a former teammate and they had at one time been willing to die for each other. She appreciated his efforts to keep them safe, because though she would argue she was perfectly capable on her own Naruto needed all the protection he could get, especially with what Jiraiya had told her when they left Waterfall.

"What's wrong baachan?"

Looking down she found a pair of big blue eyes staring back up at her. Ever since he was a baby she'd always thought, and Shizune agreed, that if she looked long enough she just might drown in them. He'd always had a calming effect on her, when his boundless energy wasn't driving her up the walls, anyway. And when he was happy it just seemed infectious: even on the worst of days it was hard not to smile around him. "Nothing's wrong Naruto. I was just thinking about what we're going to do with you when we get to Konoha."

"Tsunade!"

"Relax Jiraiya, you already said we're almost there, right? Anyone who's walked this road more than once could tell where we're going."

Naruto was ecstatic. "Alright, Konoha! I always wanted to go there. We're always moving around and now I actually get to go somewhere I _want_ to go!" He was literally running circles around the three older shinobi.

Shizune couldn't help but giggle. "Yes Naruto, we're going to Konoha. And unless I'm mistaken we won't be moving anymore. Your old enough to go to the ninja academy now and once you graduate you'll be a ninja of the village. No more moving around. You'll finally have a permanent home" she said, then looked up at the two Sannin ahead of them. "And your grandparents can finally settle down too."

Jiraiya nearly tripped, whirling around to face the younger woman. "Settle down? Are you crazy? Don't get me wrong that village has some fine research opportunities, but I can't stay in one place for too long. Never could." He quickly found himself off the ground, grabbed around the throat by his former teammate. "We had a deal" she hissed, quiet enough so only he would hear. "You keep your perversion in check around Naruto, and I don't beat you to death for it." She was livid, he could tell, more so than when she'd caught him peeping on her in the bathhouse when they were kids. "Now now, Tsunade-hime" he wheezed, trying to maintain a neutral tone even as he gasped for air, "you don't want to get violent in front of him, do you? He just might want to know how you can lift a grown man off the ground." He managed a weak smile, while she just glared. "Remember the deal, lecher" she said, and promptly dropped him.

Naruto was the first to recover. "What was that about? What's ojiisan talking about, research opportunities?" Tsunade just stared, while Shizune was quickly beside him. "Naruto, remember when I told you not to ask about things that make baachan mad?" He nodded. "Well, that makes her mad, so let's just not ask about it okay?" Still confused, but also well aware of how scary Tsunade could be when she was angry, he decided to let it go. "Okay."

The four continued walking in silence, each thinking about the village that lay ahead. For Naruto, it was mostly what his neechan had said about the academy. Whenever they'd taken time to teach him jutsu or other things and he'd asked why he had to learn it, the usual answer was that he needed to know for whenever he started going to the academy. For the past year he'd been wondering if he was ever going to get a chance: with all the moving around he'd hardly had time to make friends, much less attend schools anywhere. But now they wouldn't be moving anymore, and he was going to be in school for a long time too. "Shizune-neechan, how long does it take to graduate from the academy?"

The woman beside him smiled. "Well, it really depends on how good you are at being a shinobi and how quickly you learn. Most ninja usually graduate in six years." There were many of her generation that graduated much earlier, but that had been a time of war and things were different: gennin were put into combat teams as soon as they were reasonably skilled. In times of peace a village could afford to keep children in school longer to produce a more well-rounded shinobi, not just a battle-trained soldier. Even so, school wasn't going to be easy for Naruto, not with two Sannin for grandparents. Many would expect him to live up to their reputations and be an astoundingly skilled shinobi. She knew better though. Regardless of one's upbringing it was unreasonable to expect them to be like their forerunners. That's why she didn't tell him about her classmates. Naruto had a habit of setting goals that met or exceeded those of more skilled people. If she told him about ninja that graduated in only a few years he'd likely set that as a goal for himself, if not graduating in only one year. Like Tsunade, she would rather see him focus on getting the most out of school rather than try to get out as early as possible.

"Six years? You mean I don't get to be a ninja until I'm twelve?"

"Naruto, when do you expect to die?" Jiraiya interjected.

"What?"

"Jiraiya what are you-"

"Just hold on a bit, Tsunade, there's a reason for this" he said, still eying Naruto. "When do you" he repeated, pointing to the boy, "expect to die?"

Naruto was dumbstruck. He'd never really thought about death before: he'd been told about people who had died, but his own death wasn't something he really thought about. "I... uh..."

"Thought so" the old sage said. "Naruto, sometimes ninja graduate earlier than six years, but that is very rare, and many of those ninja usually don't live as long as ninja who spend the full six years at the Academy because they didn't stay long enough to get a balanced education. Too many gennin died in the last Great Ninja War because they didn't get to spend enough time in school. You want to live a long life, right?" The boy nodded mutely, hanging on the elder's every word. "Then don't worry about getting out of school early. Take your time, learn as much as you can and get the most out of it, because as soon as you graduate you wont have a whole lot of time to learn a lot of new skills. You'll be on missions frequently, and when you aren't you'll be training to keep and improve the skills you'll already have. The life of a shinobi isn't easy; it's a lot of hard work, just like Tsunade's been telling you all your life. Understand?" Again, the blond just nodded. "Good."

For the second time in an hour the group fell into silence. Naruto kept pondering his neechan and ojiisan's words, and couldn't escape the apparent connection between an early graduation and an early death. He was almost terrified. What if another war started and he was pushed out early? Would he be ready enough? Would they let him stay in school anyway? He didn't want to die! But, ojiisan said it was rare to get out early, so maybe he'd be alright if he just tried to be regular, not too good and not too bad. No, he couldn't lie to save his life and baachan knew it. She could read him better than anyone and wouldn't let him get away with that. Even though all three of his family kept talking about not going overboard and pushing things too hard, they all wanted him to try to be his best. He'd have to do that and just take his chances.

Shizune was worried about her adoptive little brother. She'd been trying to avoid mentioning anything about graduating early and here Jiraiya-sama went and told him anyway. Still, she supposed, he'd given Naruto enough reason not to strive for early release, even if the reason given wasn't entirely true. He had a habit of that, it seemed, telling half-truths and minor lies to diffuse a situation. She couldn't argue that so far it seemed to work on Naruto, but it wouldn't forever. She glanced over at her master, somewhat disturbed by her unusual behavior. Tsunade-sama normally would have flattened Jiraiya for scaring her son like that, but this time hadn't done a thing. It was almost like... she agreed.

"Jiraiya, you're in for a world of pain as soon as I figure out what I'm going to do to you for scaring him like that."

Or maybe not.

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They arrived at the gates of Konoha less than an hour later. The village was everything Naruto had been told it was, and more. The very first thing he noticed though was the Hokage Monument; how could anyone entering the village not see those huge stone heads? And the trees! There were so many trees it reminded him a lot of Waterfall. As they walked through town he also noticed several things he wanted to come back and see later: training areas, clan compounds, the river, there were just so many new things to experience. He also didn't fail to notice the many people staring at them, which he didn't really understand. No one ever stared at them before. "Baachan, why's everyone looking at us?"

Tsunade smiled. "It's because here in Konoha Jiraiya and I are kind of famous. We're called 'legendary Sannin' because of our skills as ninja. At one time we were considered the most powerful ninja in the world besides the Kage of each hidden village."

Naruto's eyes nearly popped out of his head. Ojiisan and baachan were super-powerful ninja? "Awesome! Will I be as strong as you guys some day?"

"If you train enough and don't take a lot of stupid risks, you very well might" she said. "Just don't push yourself too much. Knowing when to take a break and relax is just as important as training. The body doesn't get stronger during training: it gets stronger by healing _after_ training."

Shizune just had to chime in. "She's right Naruto. Spend all your time training and you'll never meet some cute little girl that will steal your heart away." She giggled at the sight of Naruto, normally loud and confident, quietly blushing in embarrassment.

Jiraiya would have given his two ryu but Tsunade would knock him back to Waterfall if he did. He even _agreed_ with her, if for different reasons. He sighed. Oh well, he'd just have to wait until the boy was older to explain the _real_ uses for time spent away from training. He couldn't help grinning at thoughts of the future. "Alright, here we are" he said proudly, "our new home." The four stopped in front of a relatively large house on an estate surrounded by thick shrubs. The house itself was easily bigger than an ordinary family home, though smaller than a clan-house. It was decorated in the traditional style, with tile roofing, wood framing and sliding doors. There were also carved stone toads of varying sizes everywhere, capping pillars, adorning each corner of the roof, and even serving as places to sit on the front lawn. It certainly fit the old sage. "I've kept this house for years. It's got everything you'll need, save for the perishables like food. There's an open clearing on the north side you can use for a training ground, just don't destroy anything." He looked pointedly at Tsunade. "I think there's a bathhouse out back, but I'm not sure. I always went to the one in town." His old teammate scowled, but said nothing.

"It's beautiful. I didn't think you had such good taste Jiraiya-sama." Shizune, like Naruto took in the sight in front of them.

"Good taste? Girl, I am Jiraiya! The legendary toad sage of Mount Myo-"

"Save it Jiraiya." Tsunade quipped, rubbing her temples. "Shizune, drop your bags off and take Naruto out for something to eat. We have to go have a talk with the old man."

The younger woman nodded. "Alright. Come on Naruto-kun. Let's put our things inside and then get that food we talked about, okay?" Naruto nodded. "Okay neechan!" She led the boy up to the house, leaving the two Sannin to themselves.

"Well, better get this over with. At least he'll be happy to know you aren't drinking anymore."

"Shut up, perv."

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In minutes both were in the Hokage's office, standing before the man who had once been their sensei. Sarutobi Hiruzen was old, yes, but still a ninja of renown far above both Sannin combined. Even after years of being gone from Konoha, Tsunade still felt a little intimidated in his presence. Jiraiya was a mask of calm.

"It's good to see you both" the aged Hokage began. "Tell me, how have you been these past six years?"

"Well enough, all things considered" Tsunade answered. "So far Naruto's life has been fairly normal and straightforward. Except for all the moving around I'd say he's led an unassuming life. He's started some basic education with Shizune and myself, and with Jiraiya's occasional help he's learned a few basic ninja skills and tactics."

The old man nodded, absorbing the information like a sponge. "And what of his parents, or the Kyuubi. Does he know of either?"

Jiraiya shook his head. "If I understand Tsunade correctly, Naruto was told his parents were shinobi that died during the Kyuubi's attack. He wasn't told anything specific about his father: you know how little kids have a hard time keeping their mouths shut. We kept moving around anyway as a precaution against any enemy ninja discovering him, even though no one should even know he's alive. Besides, with him growing up under two Sannin he doesn't need the pressure of his father's reputation on top of it."

"He doesn't know about the demon either" Tsunade said, answering his second question. "It wouldn't be right for him to know about it, not at his age. I remember when we were that age, and how we were as we grew up. Right now he's just content to be a carefree little boy, but by the time he's out of the academy he'll be developing his own identity. He shouldn't have to deal with the Kyuubi and his own development as well. Personally I'd be happy if he never found out."

"You know that's not going to happen" her old teammate replied flatly. "In a few years he'll start learning jutsu, which means he'll start molding chakra. Once that happens it's not unlikely that he'll start tapping into the Kyuubi's chakra as well, even unknowingly. The seal is supposed to keep him from drawing more than his body can handle, but it's bound to happen. Once it does he's going to have questions."

"About the seal, how is it?"

The toad sage sighed heavily. "Honestly sensei, I don't know. Minato said the seal would allow him to use the fox's chakra and all, but except for the night of the attack I haven't seen the seal at all. The only thing I can guess is that it only shows up if he molds the fox's chakra, which thankfully I haven't seen him do yet. He's a smart kid, don't get me wrong, but he's no prodigy like Kakashi." He took a seat in front of the Hokage's desk. "I've also been getting some troubling information from my spies. Apparently there's a group running around trying to capture the jinchuuriki. No reasons given, but the idea of one group of people holding all the demon-containers is really unsettling regardless of why they're after them. From what I've heard most of the sightings so far have been in or around Rain Country, but no one knows how many of them there are. I tried getting some information from Hanzou, since he was in charge of Rain last time I was there, but never heard anything back. All that I can really confirm is that they call themselves Akatsuki, and they wear full-body black robes with red clouds on them."

Tsunade sat down beside him. "That's the main reason we've come back now. So far no one should have any idea that Naruto is the Yellow Flash's son, so this Akatsuki is a bigger threat to him than any village. He'll be much safer behind the walls of Konoha than out in the wild somewhere. It's ironic, really. We took him away from here to protect him from the villagers: now it's probably the safest place in the world he could be."

Indeed it was likely the safest place to house young Naruto, now that this organization was after him. But even the Village Hidden in the Leaves was not without its dangers. "Safer than the wilderness, yes" Hiruzen said, "but not entirely safe."

"Sensei?" Both Sannin were curious as to their teacher's foreboding words.

"You both know the origin of Konoha, how Senju Hashirama-sempai was made the Shodai Hokage rather than Uchiha Madara, and how later the two fought at the Valley of the End. Madara brought with him the Kyuubi, proving that his Sharingan eyes could control the demon. From what I understand from my former teacher, after Madara's defeat the Niidaime Tobirama-sensei allowed the creation of the Konoha Police force to keep watch on the Uchiha and their actions, even though it was said to be a sign of trust between the two clans. Over time the Uchiha began to feel second-class compared to the Senju, and not just because two Senju had been Hokage. After the Kyuubi attacked six years ago, Danzou, Homura and Koharu had the entire Uchiha clan moved to one corner of the village, creating the 'Uchiha District.' I tried to fight them, but was overruled. They believed that the Uchiha had summoned the Kyuubi, just as Madara had done decades ago. Apparently the Uchiha have now grown to resent this discrimination against them, and there are rumors of rebellion and war."

His former students sat in silence, dumbstruck by the situation at hand. "Sensei, how do you know all this?" Jiraiya kept up a very elaborate spy network, even to a lesser degree inside Konoha, and he'd never heard anything like this.

The old man let out a long, heavy sigh. "I have an informant inside the clan. His loyalty to the village is above suspicion, and he reports to me alone; I trust Itachi completely. But none of that should really concern either of you for the time being, aside from keeping Naruto safe from those with the ability to control what he holds prisoner."

"With everything you've just told us I'm ready to take him back out of the village" Tsunade fumed. There's no way I'm allowing him to grow up next door to people who would use him as a weapon!"

"And what would you do out in the wild, hime?" Jiraiya responded. "He's got enemies outside the village and potential enemies inside, yes. But, at least inside the village he'll have every Konoha shinobi looking out for him. You can't seriously think that 'Tsunade's son' isn't going to have ANBU watching him now and then; he's a high-profile target for kidnapping and ransom. Besides, you'll be here to keep the Uchiha at bay, and sensei here will do what he can as well. It's better than being outside the village walls having no one to rely on for Naruto's safety but yourself."

"I must agree with Jiraiya, Tsunade" the Hokage confirmed. "I would much prefer Naruto to be here, even with the threat of the Uchiha, than outside the village where I cannot protect him."

She'd been double-teamed, and if she was honest with herself she agreed with them. It made more sense to keep Naruto as close as possible to those who would protect him, and sensei seemed to know more about the Uchiha and their plans than Jiraiya did about the Akatsuki. Her shinobi instincts were telling her they were right, that what was known about the Uchiha was safer than what was unknown about the Akatsuki. But, her motherly instincts screamed at her to get her son away from danger of any kind. Find a place where neither Akatsuki or the Uchiha could find them and raise him there in safety. But when she thought of him, Naruto, all she could see was the happy face of a boy who was told he wouldn't be moving anymore. He was finally going to have a stable life; could she really take that away from him? No, she relented, she couldn't. "Alright, we'll stay. But I'm keeping him as far away from the Uchiha as I can, and I expect the ninja of this village to watch those red-eyed bastards like a hawks. No one is ever going to take my son away from me."

The two men nodded agreeably, and the three set about discussing the young boy's future.

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"So how was it Naruto?"

Naruto smiled, holding his belly contentedly. "It was great neechan, thanks! We'll have to go there a lot. Ramen's the best!"

Shizune giggled at her little brother's antics. "I don't think Tsunade-sama would like that Naruto. You need a well-balanced diet if you're going to be a strong shinobi."

The two were strolling down a side street in the village, wandering back in the general direction of home, but not in any hurry to get there. As they walked by a park Naruto tugged in her sleeve. "Neechan, can we go play for a while? I don't wanna go home yet."

"Sure Naruto, there's still a little daylight left. But when it gets dark we're going home, alright?"

"Okay!" With that the young boy ran off to the sandbox, barely noticing a young boy laying by the swings staring up at the sky. He found his way to the sandbox, where another child his age was playing. "Hi, I'm Naruto. Can I play here?"

The girl looked up at him with wide, pale lavender eyes, clearly startled by his presence. "I.... um.... s-sure. Okay" she said quietly. "I'm Hy-Hyuuga Hinata."

"Hinata... that's a pretty name" Naruto said, grinning widely. "And pretty eyes, and hair... you're really just plain pretty."

Hinata didn't know what to think. No one had ever said something like that to her before. Well, no one she didn't know, anyway. Father sometimes said she was as pretty as her mother. "Um... th-thank you. I ha-haven't se-seen you be-before. Are y-you n-n-new he-here?"

"Yeah, I just moved here with my ojiisan, baachan and neechan. Neechan's over there" he said, waving to Shizune. The older girl waved back. "We moved here from Waterfall so I can be a ninja!"

At this the girl before him seemed to brighten and relax, if only a little. "R-really? I'll be g-going to the ac-academy this ye-year t-t-too. I... I'm s-scared though."

"Scared? Why? Neechan didn't make it seem so bad."

"I'm af-afraid I w-wo-won't meet my f-fa-father's expectations. I'm s-scared I w-won't be g-g-good enough."

Naruto just smiled. "Don't worry Hinata-chan, I'm sure if you try your best you'll be just fine. That's what baachan and neechan always tell me, anyway."

_'Did he, did he just call me Hinata-chan?' _She couldn't think of what to say. Yet again no one aside from her father said things like that to her, not even the other family members. Fortunately, she didn't have long to think about it.

"Hinata, come. It's time to go home." A tall man in plain white robes stood in front of them, holding out his hand expectantly. "Hai, father. Goodbye, Naruto-san." She bowed politely and walked toward the street. Her father, looking down at him, bowed his head slightly before following his daughter out.

Shizune watched the encounter, quietly observing how Naruto handled himself as well as how he was received. He likely had no idea who he was talking to, which was probably a good thing for the time being, but she was perfectly aware. Both had the white, pupil-less eyes of the Hyuuga clan, and neither bore a mark on their head, signifying membership in the main branch. She would have to tell Tsunade later, just to be safe.

"I guess it's time to go home too, isn't it neechan?" Naruto asked as Shizune walked over.

"Yes it is Naruto. Come on, let's get you home and cleaned up for bed."

With that the two walked home, both of them thinking about the day's events, and things to come.

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**Author's Note:**

Not all chapters will be this long. My minimum word limit per chapter is 4000 for this story, but I am trying for around 4500 on average. This chapter is only long because I added the prologue rather than posting is separately.


	2. Academy

Chapter 2: Academy

Naruto spent the next few days getting more acquainted with the village, exploring the training grounds, parks and buildings. He liked living here, but whether because he had been assured they would be moving no more, or because he liked frogs and Jiraiya's house was covered with them, he didn't really think about. He did like the frogs though, and had spent a lot of his free time watching them at the river jumping around. He even tried catching them so he could bring one home as a pet, but they always got away. The boy found that the frogs almost never moved without provocation, and when they did it was lightning fast and very powerful. It reminded him a lot of when baachan told him he should be patient with things and not run in headfirst without thinking.

Currently he was walking the streets of Konoha, heading for the Academy and his first day of ninja training. Well, technically he'd already had some training from his family, but this was the first day of formal education. He was so excited and caught up in visions of the future that he lost track of his surroundings, colliding with something and quickly finding himself on the ground.

"Ow..."

Now that was a familiar voice, if only barely. Sitting up, he almost didn't understand what his eyes were seeing. A porcelain hand gently rubbing a mane of indigo hair and, unless he was mistaken, trying not to cry. This was obviously the person he'd ran into, and he felt bad for making the person hurt. "Sumimasen, I wasn't watching where I was going." He stood up, holding out his hand to help the person up.

"Arigatou gozaimasu. I- Na-naruto-san?"

Hearing that, and seeing her now-revealed face, Naruto knew why the voice sounded familiar. "Oh, hey it's you Hinata-chan. Sorry again for running into you. Are you okay?"

Her face seemed to heat up like a tea-kettle and she was almost certain she was blushing. Why was this near-stranger being so kind to her? "I-I'm okay. I just b-bumped my h-head."

Naruto smiled, relieved that she'd not been injured. "Great. I mean, great that you're okay, not that you hit your head. Sorry. So, are you heading to the academy too?" He didn't want to blather on, but he knew if he didn't change the subject or something he'd continue apologizing like an idiot.

"Hai. Father was going to walk with me today, but clan business came up." The pale-eyed girl hung her head slightly. "Neji-niisan was supposed to walk with me, but I guess he didn't stop when I fell. I don't see him anywhere."

Naruto scowled. "Your brother just left you here? That's mean!"

Hinata's head came back up, but there was still a sadness on her face that Naruto felt tugging at something inside him. "Well, Neji isn't really my brother, but I feel like he his anyway. Our fathers were brothers: Neji is my cousin." She sighed, something she did often when talking about her niisan. "He's always been mean and I don't know why. Father and I are always nice to him, but he never laughs or smiles. He's always polite and respectful, but only because he has to be. I don't think he likes me or Father very much."

Tsunade's son was angry. He didn't know why, but the thought of someone not liking Hinata-chan really made him mad. And this Neji guy seemed to go out of his way to be mean to her. He wanted to beat the guy up, but he couldn't. If baachan didn't kill him first Shizune-neechan lecture him until he was deaf, and Jiraiya-ojiisan already told him if he got into too much trouble he wouldn't teach Naruto anything ever again. So he'd just have to swallow his anger and make the best of things. "Well Hinata-chan, since you were supposed to be walked to school, I'll walk with you." The girl smiled up at him, which Naruto found he liked, and grabbing her hand he pulled her off to the Academy.

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"So Naruto, how was your first day at school?" Shizune asked. She was in the kitchen preparing dinner while Tsunade was out picking up more groceries: she'd sent her Master out on that errand as she much rather would have cooked herself than have to eat what Tsunade would try to fix. In the time they'd spent away from Konoha before Naruto came into their lives the two generally ate out, mainly because there was never a 'home' to cook at: her master was always on the run from her creditors. After they'd adopted her otouto, though, they'd had to do more in-home cooking so as to keep a lower profile. She'd learned quickly that her elder could not cook to save her life and so Shizune had taken it upon herself to do the task. At least then she could be reasonably sure no one would die from what she fixed.

"It was okay, I guess" Naruto replied. "Iruka-sensei and Mizuki-sensei are nice to everybody and most of the kids know each other." He frowned just slightly. "I kind of feel left out."

She could empathize with him. Having moved around so much the boy never had time to make friends: it was only natural that he feel like an outsider now. "Don't worry about it Naruto, it's only been one day. You'll make plenty of friends, trust me. Now come help me get dinner on the table: Tsunade-sama should be home any minute.

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The days turned into weeks, and those into months as Naruto got firmly settled in at the academy. He was slowly making friends, such as the Nara boy Shikamaru and the pudgy but kind-hearted Akimichi Chouji, even Inuzuka Kiba and to a lesser extent the bug-boy Shino, who he learned was from the Aburame clan. By far the one person he'd grown closest to was Hinata. A few weeks into their first year Naruto had started walking with her and Neji to school, and after another couple of days Neji had abandoned the two altogether. Naruto was still irritated with the older boy for how he seemed not to care about Hinata, but as long as he could keep her smiling the blond was happy.

There were three people however that he just did not understand. Uchiha Sasuke was one of the best in their class, but never tried to help anyone else and never tried to make friends. He just trained. And he was constantly being doted on by most of the girls their age, except Hinata-chan of course. He never paid any attention to them though, usually just telling them to go away or ignoring them completely. Being someone who craved the attention of others, Naruto just could not understand how someone could be so callous. Still, he was glad it was Sasuke with all the attention and not him: he wasn't sure if he'd handle the fan club's twin banshees with as much composure as Sasuke. Yamanaka Ino and Haruno Sakura had to be two of the loudest and most air-headed girls he'd ever met, so he usually made an effort to avoid them. Not that it was hard: they were almost always near the Uchiha and barely paid him any mind. And he was fine with that, really. They seemed to spend more time arguing about which one was going to date 'their Sasuke-kun' than focusing on their ninja training. Seriously, why were those two even there? He scowled just thinking about it.

"Is something wrong Naruto-san?"

The boy looked up from the leaves he'd been staring at. "Hmm? No, I'm fine. Just thinking about school."

He was with Hinata sitting on a bench out in the courtyard of the Hyuuga compound, watching the sun begin its decent behind the horizon. After a fair bit of stuttering and blushing, Hinata had managed to invite him to her home for the evening, but didn't dare ask anything more. Her father would be upset if she had, considering until tonight he'd not even formally met her friend. The introduction went well enough, she supposed, though her father was unusually quiet when it came to Naruto. Normally when someone new came over he wanted to know about them, asking questions and prying slightly. She knew why, of course: he was only trying to protect the clan by knowing who his clansmen associated with. About Naruto though, he asked for little more than a confirmation that he was going to the academy and that he was the one walking with her to school each morning. What was somewhat shocking for her though was that, when thinking about the questions he normally would ask, she found she didn't know the answers herself. When they'd first met Naruto had only stated that he'd just moved to the Village with his family, and waved to a woman he said was his sister, though they looked nothing alike and were far separated in age. She didn't know if he came from another clan, who his parents were or even where he lived in town. For the boy she considered her friend, she hardly knew anything about him at all. And now that she looked at him, this boy that seemed familiar was suddenly so very foreign.

"Um, Naruto-san, can I ask you a question?"

Naruto just scowled. "No, I didn't mess with the water tap and it's not my fault Mizuki-sensei got wet! I swear if anyone else blames that on me I'm gonna pour honey all over them and throw them to Shino's bugs."

Hinata couldn't help but giggle. "That wasn't what I wanted to ask. I... I wanted to know about your family. You said you moved here with your family, but I've only seen your sister."

Sapphire met lavender, before disappearing behind a face-splitting grin. "Well, Shizune-neechan's not really my sister, kind of like how Neji isn't really your brother. She's baachan's apprentice, so she's always been there. My parents used to live here, but they died when the demon attacked the village."

The girl sat shocked. "Tha-that's horrible. I know a lot of people died that day, but losing both your mother and father..." she didn't know what to say, really. "Wait, but we're the same age. If your parents died that night, then you were-"

"Just a baby?" he finished. "Yeah. Newborn, actually. Baachan said I was born right before the Kyuubi showed up. My mom was already weak from having me: she didn't live though the attack. My dad died fighting it."

Hinata was trembling now, trying hard to fight back tears as her own private pain returned once again.

"But it's okay" Naruto continued, unaware of his companion's turmoil. "My baachan and ojiisan have always been there for me, well Tsunade-baachan has anyway. Jiraiya-ojiisan was gone a lot, but he's back now. And you know what's coolest? They're both called Sannin, which means they're the most powerful ninja in the world besides the Kage. Isn't that cool?" He glanced over at his friend, only to find a look of shock and awe staring back at him.

At his mentioning of the Sannin Hinata had forgotten her painful memories, too much in disbelief of his words to think of anything else. "You.... your grandparents are the legendary Sannin?" She wasn't sure it was true, but if it was she certainly didn't feel worthy to be in his presence.

Her blond companion nodded. "Yeah, is something wrong?"

She recoiled slightly, fearing she may have offended this new celebrity. "N-no, n-not at a-all. It's just, Jiraiya-sama and Tsunade-sama are very well-known and powerful ninja. Father says many ninja from around the world would give anything to train with one of them for only a month, and you've lived with them your whole life. You must know so much already." She couldn't help the awe that bled into her words. Her admiration for this familiar stranger jumped ten-fold, though she knew it was different from the kind of feelings Sakura and Ino displayed for Sasuke.

Naruto just leaned back against the bench, rubbing the back of his head nervously. "Eh heh, not really. Baachan and ojiisan said most of what they know is way too advanced for me to learn right now. I just know some chakra-control exercises, a medical check-up jutsu, and something called Henge. Neechan said baachan taught me that to make hide-and-seek more fun" he finished with another grin. "What about you, Hinata-chan? Will you tell me about your family?"

This rattled the indigo-haired girl a little. She didn't have to explain her family issues with anyone in the clan, and none of her friends (or rather, Naruto's friends) at school had ever asked. She decided to start off with the least painful parts, though if she was honest with herself there was no avoiding the heartbreaking memories to come. "Well, you've already met my father, Lord Hiashi, head of the Hyuuga clan, and my cousin Neji. My little sister Hanabi is just one, but she's already crawling and trying to walk on her own. Father sometimes says she'll start learning the family Jyuuken by the time she's three."

"What about your mother?" Naruto asked, noting the absence of this important character.

Hinata had been dreading that question, and started tearing up at the mere thought. "She... She died last year, when Hanabi was born, and-" She could go no further, the despair of her deceased mother gripping the young Hyuuga's heart like stone. Tears flowed unbidden and she tried hiding her face in shame.

Naruto didn't understand her pain, really. He'd never known his parents, so losing them wasn't something that really bothered him, and he wondered if maybe it should. Then he thought about losing either of his grandparents, or Shizune-neechan, and he felt he would probably feel the same as his friend did about losing her mother. What he was sure of, however, is that what he saw in front of him nearly broke his six-year-old heart. Silently, he leaned over and wrapped his arms around her, knowing without knowing that she needed this comfort. She quickly buried her face in his chest, trying not to wail but crying harder than she ever had since her mother's funeral. "I'm sorry she died, Hinata-chan" Naruto whispered comfortingly, "but it'll be okay. You've still got your dad and your sister." He looked down at her, sobbing into his chest, and squeezed just a little tighter. _'And me.'_

Hiashi smiled at the boy's words and action, watching the two from one corner of the courtyard. He knew Hinata was still heartbroken over the loss of her mother, and it was something he was trying to work through with her. But this boy, he seemed to understand her quite well even though his own past was drastically different. He seemed to draw her out of her shell easily, and played the role of her friend quite well. _'You'll do, boy'_ he thought. _'You'll do well, indeed.'_

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At the start of his second year the Hokage had pressed Tsunade and Shizune into service, citing they needed to make themselves useful around the village. Shizune had been reactivated as a medic-nin for Jounin field teams, while Tsunade was given charge of Konoha's entire medical division. She now personally oversaw the training of medic-nins and doctors, as well as mandating a physical fitness requirement for all reserve-status ninja in the village, including the Hokage himself. Unfortunately, this left them both little time for Naruto, except for when they weren't on duty, which in a sense made life that much more 'normal' for him. Not every kid's parents were waiting for them every day when they got home from school, after all. Fortunately, rather than having to hire a babysitter to keep her hyperactive son under control, she'd been offered the favor by none other than Hyuuga Hiashi himself. Though a shrewd politician who knew the value of having powerful and influential friends in high places, he made the offer mostly for his daughter's benefit. Hiashi knew his heiress harbored a friendship with the boy, if not something potentially greater, and Hinata's shyness had kept her from making many friends. This Naruto seemed to be consistent in her life, and unlike certain clan heads the blond's mother was not hounding Hiashi to arrange a marriage between the two. And since he offered to watch Naruto during the afternoons after school, it would put him that much more in the medic-nin's good graces.

He watched the two practice throwing kunai and shuriken in the dojo, something he mandated for an hour after class each day from his daughter. He did not demand Naruto practice as well, as that would have been an undermining of Tsunade's authority over her son, but the boy had volunteered anyway. They helped each other, pointing out mistakes without criticizing and worked together to fix them. Naruto's exuberance gave Hinata the confidence she so desperately needed, and her calm serenity kept the boy from forgetting what he was supposed to be doing. If Hiashi believed in fate, he'd charge they were meant for each other.

"That's enough for today. Hinata, it's time to practice your Jyuuken. Naruto-san, you are welcome to continue your own training, or you may return home. I believe your mother should be home by now."

Naruto nodded, pulling his kunai out of the target logs and stowing them in his pack. "I'll go home: I need to bug ojiisan about some jutsu. Bye Hinata-chan, bye Hiashi-sama!"

"Bye Naruto-kun."

"Good day, Naruto-san."

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"Baachan, neechan, I'm home!" Naruto ran to his room and deposited his belongings before scrambling back to the kitchen. It was nearing evening, and the smell of food told him Shizune was home, at the least. When he skidded to a halt, Tsunade was also there washing dishes.

"There's word going around that you've become something of a celebrity, Naruto" the Sannin said. "Care to explain?"

Her son stared back at her blankly. "Celebrity? Is that what it means when all those girls won't leave me alone at school?" Once the knowledge of who his family was reached the Academy Naruto's social life quickly became more complicated: in a matter of days he'd acquired his own fan club rivaling in size to Sasuke's. Girls were constantly asking him to eat lunch with them, or come over after school... it was frustrating. Normally he liked attention, but this was just annoying. He wondered if this was how Sasuke felt.

Shizune squealed girlishly. "I knew it! Our little Naruto's a little heartthrob, stealing hearts all over the Academy."

"What?" the boy shriek incredulously. "I didn't steal anything! I don't even know half of these girls and they never leave me alone!"

Tsunade couldn't contain her laughter. It was just too funny, watching her little boy so frustrated over something so incredibly common.

Naruto sat down at the table, face held in his hands. "Why are girls such a pain?" Both women gave him what he had come to call 'the look.' "I mean, not girls like you. I mean _girl_ girls." The look got worse. "Wait, I mean... they're just... I..." His head hung, defeated. "I think I'm gonna shut up now."

His mother chuckled again. "Listen son, I think I know what's going on. Apparently word got around that you've grown up with Jiraiya and myself: it was bound to happen eventually. Remember when we moved here and I told you your grandfather and I were kind of famous?" He nodded. "Well, that means you're famous now too, and you're going to have to deal with the consequences of that. Including," she grinned, "this little fan club of yours."

"But I don't want a fan club" he whined. "I don't want to be famous either. At least, not like this. Now I feel like Sasuke: girls are always hanging around him because he's an Uchiha. If I'm going to be famous I want it to be because I'm a really good ninja, not because of you or ojiisan. Oh, I mean, no offense baachan." He didn't want to anger her: baachan got really scary when she was angry.

"It's alright Naruto, and it's good you have that perspective. Many kids your age would love popularity for any reason. I'm glad you understand that to truly deserve your fame you have to work for it. Jiraiya and I weren't always powerful ninja. We had to work hard for our strength and trained a lot." She put the cleaned dishes away before sitting down next to her son. "Now, tell me about this Sasuke. You said he's an Uchiha. Are you friends?"

"Oh heck no! All he ever does is train and be mean to people and ignore everyone around him. Please don't tell me I have to be friends with him. Please!" He was practically on the floor now, begging his mother not to force this on him. "He's a jerk and I don't like his fan girls. Please don't make me do it!"

"I won't son, I won't" she consoled him. "As a matter of fact, I don't want you to change a thing. I want you to keep you distance from him, alright?"

"Um... okay" he said, happy that he didn't have to befriend the raven-haired boy, but confused as to why his mother would want him staying away from him as well. "Why?"

"Well, let's just say I know some things about the Uchiha clan that you don't, and they're not the kind of people I want my son being friends with." She drew the boy into a hug. "Okay?"

He hugged her back, tightly. "Okay."

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The next four years passed relatively quickly and with little fanfare. In his third year the Uchiha clan had been massacred, and Naruto didn't really know what to do. He wanted to be there for Sasuke, as he had been for Hinata that one night, but he remembered his mother's warning to keep away from him. Oddly enough, the whole thing didn't seem to do affect Sasuke, except that he grew even colder towards others, if that was even possible, and threw himself even harder into his training. Naruto just didn't understand.

His fan girls slowly started to back off as they grew older, some finding new things to fawn over, others finally getting the message that Naruto wasn't interested in them. The only girl that he found he really enjoyed having around was Hinata. They continued spending their afternoons together after school, practicing, training, and occasionally playing when Hiashi allowed it. It was during this time she found out about his gardening hobby, and in return he discovered her enjoyment in pressing flowers. From that day forward he promised to help her maintain a small flower garden on the estate so she would always have flowers to press. The girl didn't stop blushing for more than an hour.

He continued strengthening the other friendships he'd made at school as well, going to sleepovers and birthday parties, playing in the park on weekends and generally being a child. He'd once asked Tsunade if he could have a sleepover party for his birthday, but the woman politely said no. She loved her son dearly, but she wasn't great at handling groups of children. She didn't mind them coming over for a few hours, but more than that and she'd go nuts. That was enough to convince Naruto not to ask anymore. Still, Shikamaru helped him carry out a few really good pranks on her for not letting him have a sleepover, while Shino helped him refine the arts of hiding and not getting caught because of them.

Those thoughts of the past brought him up to the present: he was at the Hyuuga compound working on a few of the jutsu he'd learned at school. Hinata was doing the same with her father watching the two of them occasionally with his Byakugan active, pointing out mistakes in their chakra molding.

"Again" the elder man commanded, milky-white eyes looking past their bodies, watching their chakra as it flowed through their bodies. He could tell their control was well above what most children their age could achieve, but that was to be expected. The Hyuuga art of Jyuuken required precise chakra control to shut down tenketsu points, which Hinata could accomplish readily. Naruto's control was more than adequate as well, though less than Hinata's. That was also to be expected: few other clans required the Hyuuga's level of control. What amazed him more about the boy though was his seemingly limitless supply of chakra. Hinata, while quite skilled, had a relatively low amount of chakra overall. He'd been meaning to speak with Tsunade about what she'd made Naruto go through to have such a deep pool of it as he did.

Naruto made the hand signs, once again transforming into his imitation of seven-year-old Hanabi. Hiashi hadn't liked it at first, but couldn't fault the boy for his ability to mimic her so precisely. Watching as he held the jutsu, something peculiar caught the elder Hyuuga's chakra-enhanced eyes. "That's enough, we're done for today. Hinata, I will allow you to forgo your taijutsu training this evening. Naruto-san, would you do me the honor of taking my daughter somewhere nice for dinner this evening? I have need to speak with your mother, and it may take some time."

"Um... sure, yeah" he said, more than a little surprised at the clan head's request, and wondering what he could possibly want to talk to baachan about. He was more comfortable around Hiashi than he had been a few years ago, but still... this was unprecedented. "I'll have to get cleaned up at home, but sure. When should I come back here?"

"There will be no need. Hinata will accompany me to your home in an hour." Hiashi bowed politely as Naruto did the same. When he turned to his daughter, he found her staring at the retreating form of her friend, burning red. He had to smile, knowing what was on her mind. "Well, you should go get ready as well. You only have an hour." Her attention snapped to her father, and before he knew it Hiashi was being crushed in a hug, Hinata crying "Thank you, thank you, I love you father, I love you!"

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**Author's Note:  
**Sumimasen means "I'm sorry."


	3. First Date

Chapter 3: First Date

As soon as he was out of sight of the Hyuuga Compound, Naruto sprinted toward home. He had a date. A date! Okay, so maybe not exactly a date, because it was Hiashi's idea, but still: he was taking Hinata out to dinner! Sure, they'd had ramen after school a few times since he started going over to her house for after-school training, but he'd never really thought a lot about it. This though, this meant something: something special. Bursting through the front door he barely missed running into Tsunade.

"What's the rush gaki?"

Naruto didn't slow down. "Can't talk, gotta get cleaned up. Bye!"

Throwing his belongings down in his room, the blond demon-jailor quickly checked the clock before darting off to the bathhouse. Fifty minutes. Stripping out of his grimy training clothes, Naruto stepped into the hot pool and allowed himself a few minutes to relax. First, he needed to figure out what to wear. No, wait, where to go first, then clothes: people dressed differently when they went to different places. Suddenly the thought occurred to him that he'd never been anywhere upscale with his family, even in the six years they'd lived in Konoha. They'd all gotten used to keeping a low profile so high-class places didn't hold much allure. Switching gears, he thought about Hinata and what she would like. Given the choice Naruto would go to Ichiraku's for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day, but that wouldn't be fair to her. He knew not everyone shared his passion for the simple soup. Still nothing came to mind. He grumbled in frustration, washing down and trying to think of nicer places to go.

He walked out of the bathhouse and back to his bedroom, seeing on the clock that he had only a half-hour left. Panicking, he threw on a pair of shorts and bolted downstairs. "Baachan, Shizune-neechan!" He found both in the library, Tsunade writing on a scroll and Shizune playing with her pet, Ton Ton.

The younger woman responded. "What is it Naruto?"

"Um... I... kind of need help. And fast."

This got Tsunade's attention. Normally when Naruto was in a hurry about something they struggled to slow the boy down. Now though, his demeanor was slow, almost worried. "We're listening. What do you need help with?"

Naruto's face took on a slight red hue, something both women had rarely seen before. "I... have a date."

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Hinata had already washed up and was digging through her closet, desperately looking for something appropriate to wear. Father had said somewhere nice, which to her meant formal. To Naruto however, well, she couldn't be so sure. He may have been raised by the Sannin, but that didn't mean he was accustomed to the formal occasions she had to bear as the clan heiress. Still, father insisted that she wear something fitting, assuring her that Tsunade would make sure Naruto was adorned accordingly. Finally she found what she'd been looking for: a light purple kimono with bright patterns of lavender and lilac in a silver thread, trimmed and accented in red. Her father had bought it earlier that year after noticing many of her older kimono were getting too small for her developing figure. She blushed at the thought of how her body was starting to change, embarrassed by it even if it was natural. It was something she tried very hard not to think about, and very hard to hide.

Satisfied with her choice of garments, the young woman called for a handful of Branch women to help her get dressed. Typically she avoided using her relatives in this manner, secretly hating the way the clan was kept segregated. Her mother had once asked her father why he didn't abolish the seal altogether and unify the Hyugga: Hiashi had only said the clan council would not abide such a drastic change in the internal management of the clan. Though unknown to her however, many of the Branch family loved the heiress, seeing her kind and gentle nature, and her refusal to use the Caged Bird Seal, as a welcome change from the strict and stoic traditionalists that had come before her. Tonight was special to her, and she needed the help if she were to be ready in time.

"Where are you going this evening, my lady?"

Hinata tinted pink and couldn't hide her smile. "I'm to be taken to dinner by a friend, Yuriko-san. Father requested it so that he could discuss something in private with my escort's mother."

At this all three handmaidens gasped. "Perhaps he's going to arrange a marriage!" one said.

"Quiet Michiru, you know how Lady Hinata feels about that!" the third, Aikura, snapped back.

Yuriko glared at the other two maids, silently commanding them to work. "This friend, my lady, wouldn't happen to be that boy that comes home with you every day after school, would it?" she asked innocently. "He seems like such a nice young man."

Hinata could feel the heat on her face, certain that the color could put a lobster to shame. "H-Hai."

"Ooooooh, would you look at that? Is our dear Lady Hinata blushing?" Michiru teased.

"Perhaps she feels differently about an arranged marriage after all" Aikura cooed.

The heiress' only reaction was a small smile and a contented sigh, daydreams of a life with Naruto passing before her pale pearly eyes. _'If only...'_

The handmaids finished their work and escorted their mistress to the gates where her father waited. "Come" he said kindly, "it is time."

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"AWWWWWW!!" Shizune screeched, latching onto her little brother like he was a toy. "I knew my otouto was a heartthrob. Who's the lucky girl?"

"Shizune, he said he needs help, not an interrogation" the elder woman scolded her apprentice. "Naruto," she turned toward her son, "what do you need?"

"Well, Hiashi asked me take Hinata-chan to dinner tonight, somewhere nice" he explained, trying to cover both women's questions at once. "But, I don't know any nice place to go in the village, and I don't know what to wear... and they're gonna be here any minute. Hiashi only gave me an hour, and I've spent half that getting home and cleaned up. You've got to help me: I don't know what to do!" At this point he was hanging from Shizune's arms, practically begging them for answers.

Tsunade smiled. Her little boy was finally starting to grow up, though twelve was a little young to start dating. Had it been his idea she might not have allowed it, but since it was apparently Hiashi's, well, who could argue with that? If he trusted Naruto enough to allow them to go out together, presumably alone from the way Naruto made it sound, she supposed it'd be alright. After all, if he screwed up in any way the Sannin would beat him into a bloody goo. "Well, let's get you dressed first, then we'll decide where you should take her. Hiashi didn't give you any ideas at all?"

Naruto shook his head. "Just asked me to take her someplace nice. But I thought you were supposed to wear certain clothes depending on where you're going?"

Shizune grinned. "Oh you are, and I think I know just the place. Now, let's get you dressed." With her master's approval she ran out of the room, appearing again a minute later with a large, flat box in her arms, along with a full-length mirror. She set the box down before Naruto, who quickly opened it. Inside was an ivory kimono lined with orange, trimmed in blue with orange accents. A long blue scarf lay folded to the side, trimmed in the same orange. "We bought this for your graduation party, but I think you could use it a little sooner."

Naruto, for his part, was speechless. He'd never owned something so fancy or so..... formal. He couldn't help the tears threatening his eyes. "I... it..."

"You're welcome, Naruto" Tsunade said, getting up from her seat and hugging the boy. "Now, try it on: we need to get you ready."

Both kunoichi aided him in layering on the fabric, inner layers covered by outer layers, everything tied and belted in place correctly... for a pair of women that for all his life had never dressed beyond casual, they both seemed to know exactly what they were doing. He concluded it must have been a girl thing. They finished off the outfit by wrapping a thin band of blue silk around his head in place of the goggles he typically wore. "There, all done." Shizune turned him to face he mirror, giggling a bit at his shocked expression.

"I... um... wow" he stammered, before grinning widely. "I look good!"

Tsunade chuckled at her baka-son's antics. "Yes son, you do look quite the gentleman. Dressed like that I'm sure you'll steal Hinata's heart."_ 'If she hasn't given it to you already.'_

"Baachaaaaaan!" the boy whined."

"Alright, alright, back to business. Shizune, you said you knew a place for them to go. Spill."

Naruto's sister nodded and settled to her knees next to him. "There's a place out on Konoha Lake called Mizugiwa. It's a nice, upscale restaurant that specializes in all kinds of seafood. I'm sure it'll be the perfect place for your date" she explained, adding a wink.

As the three continued talking about his impending date, Naruto glanced down at his watch: ten minutes to go.

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Two Hyuuga walked in silence toward the residence of the Sannin. Hinata had butterflies in her stomach, something she'd not been familiar with until minutes ago. She'd never been out with someone her own age before, only with her Father and sister. It was new and exciting, and because it was to be with Naruto also very nerve wracking. She didn't want to disappoint him or act silly, but she couldn't be certain things would go that easily. Sure, she'd been drilled in formalities and protocol as part of her role as Heiress, but there was something about those deep ocean-blue eyes that caused her breathing to increase, her mind to fog. But at the same time he brought about these feelings in her, he also made her feel comfortable, happy, and content with life. She didn't know what power he had to do that, but she didn't want it to ever go away.

"You look magnificent tonight, Hinata" her father complimented, breaking her reverie.

Hinata blushed at the praise. "Arigato, otousan." He smiled down at her, the kind of smile she'd not seen since her mother died. He was happy for her; genuinely happy that she was enjoying the night.

"You know, you look so much like your mother right now" he continued. "That kimono is very similar to one I saw her in before we were married."

"Is that why you bought it for me father? So I could look like her?" She was a little dubious as to his words: Hinata loved her father very much, but she didn't want him trying to make her into a clone of her mother just to fill the void she left behind.

"Not quite, dear" he replied, unfazed by her remark. "Your mother looked absolutely beautiful in hers: I knew when I saw that one you would look equally beautiful, if not more."

This brought her blush back in force. Ever since her mother died her father's opinion of her had become very important to Hinata, and he thought she was beautiful. She had never thought herself very attractive: for others to compliment her as such was very, very flattering and she didn't readily know how to handle such complements. When she'd first met Naruto all those years ago, when he'd said she was 'just plain pretty', she'd nearly fainted. Thank goodness for being a child.

They continued their walk in silence, with more daydreams of her and Naruto together playing through the young heiress' mind.

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A knock at the door brought the two kunoichi and their charge out of their conversation. "Well, time's up gaki" Tsunade jabbed.

Shizune was already headed for the door, followed shortly by Naruto and Tsunade. Jiraiya for his part was still out of the village, much to Tsunade's relief. She'd hate having to break the man's spine for whatever off-color comment he'd make seeing Naruto and Hinata leave together. Actually, she might enjoy that, but it would be bad for Naruto, and bad for her reputation in front of Hiashi.

Shizune quietly pulled the front door open, allowing the Hyuuga clan head and his daughter entrance to their home. Pearls met sapphires, and if it were physically possible Naruto's eyes would have fallen out of his head. _'Kami save me, I think I've died'_ he thought. She was beautiful, like some angel sent to grace the world for a short time. He lacked words, and thought for that matter. Everything else around him seemed as nothing, as though this specimen of pure wonder in front of him was the only thing worth recognizing.

Hinata was just as dumbstruck, though she hid it better than her friend. He was normally clad in orange; very, very bright orange that made him stand out even more than one should be able to in a village of ninja. Now though, he was like a totally different person. Clad in white, trimmed by his signature colors, seeing this blond beau nearly made her heart stop. She'd been to many family affairs and had seen many boys and men dressed up, but none of them held anything to Naruto now. He was just so... hot. And by the look on his face, he apparently thought she was too. She couldn't fight the butterflies in her stomach, finding it hard to move, let alone speak or bow or do anything appropriate for the moment.

"Please, Lord Hiashi, come in" Tsunade greeted kindly, hitting her son subtly as she walked past. This seemed enough to bring Naruto out of his stupor, which in turn broke Hinata of hers. Both pre-teens blushed heavily. "Have a good time you two" the woman continued, ignoring both of them.

Hiashi merely nodded to them. "And Naruto, I want Hinata home by 10:00."

Mutely the blond nodded, confirming he'd heard the man's order. With a grace that surprised even Hiashi, Naruto gently pressed his hand to the small of his friend's back, guiding her out the door.

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The streets were fairly quiet as they walked together. It was past the closing time of many shops and stores, yet still the sun hung low in the sky, ready to retreat behind the Hokage Monument. Hinata felt as though a flurry of butterflies was racing around inside her: the monument was one of Naruto's favorite places in the village, and they seemed to be going that direction. She felt honored that he was taking her somewhere special to him.

In the past few years the young heiress had become aware that she felt something for her friend, something more than just friendship. It wasn't the same thing that she saw from Naruto's fangirls: those girls only liked him because of his name, because he was 'the son of a Sannin.' What she felt was different. Naruto made her smile and laugh. He made her confident, sure of herself and her abilities. When she'd gotten sick last year, he came to see her at home after school, not caring that he might catch her illness as well. He'd left on a short vacation with Jiraiya-sama, and the entire time he was gone she felt an empty feeling inside, like something was missing. When Naruto came back, the feeling went away. That was when she realized the truth of it all: she loved him. She loved Naruto and all the time she'd spent with him since then had made it just that much more apparent to her. Still, she tried to keep her feelings from showing too much, afraid of repercussion: children there age were considered 'too young' to know true love, and any mention of it was typically written off as mere infatuation. She didn't want him to mistake her feelings for a simple crush, thereby appearing to be a fangirl and offending him. So she contented herself to this little date, even though it had been her father's idea. Perhaps if things went well enough tonight he would ask her out again. That would mean he liked her enough to want to spend more time with her, and maybe it would give her opportunity to tell him how she really felt.

"Okay, we're here."

Naruto's words brought the girl back to the present, and in front of a very nice looking restaurant. "Na-Naruto-kun... Where are we?"

Her blond escort grinned. "How about we sit down first?" They waited patiently, and only briefly, for a waiter to seat them comfortably on a deck looking out over the lake. The sun was setting just behind the monument, turning the lake's dark blue surface a blazing red. "This place is called Mizugiwa, the Water's Edge. I wanted to bring you somewhere special. I just hope you like seafood." He smiled happily, taking her awestruck expression as a good sign. _'Neechan's getting a big thank-you later'._

The waiter came by moments later and took their order: a split lobster and shrimp dinner, since neither child could possibly hope to eat a whole one alone. They quietly talked about school, and Naruto's life growing up with the Sannin outside the village. Hinata was amazed at how often he had moved around and how much of the world it had allowed him to see; he was certainly more well-traveled than she was.

"... and that's why you never play tag with toads" Naruto concluded. "Apparently using tongue isn't against the rules and Gamakichi's got a _really_ long reach. And I'm a bigger target than they are: it's not fair."

Hinata had to suppress a giggle at the image of Naruto being tongue-tagged by a bunch of frogs. "Well, at least you had some playmates growing up. I didn't really have anyone until my sister was born. At least, not after what happened..." She trailed off, looking away and realizing she'd probably said too much.

"What happened?" She looked up at her friend, seeing concern in eyes fixed wholly upon her. She could see it clearly: he cared. She didn't like thinking about that event, even if she could barely remember it. But seeing those eyes, her meager defenses wilted.

"Well, when I was little, the village was at war with the Hidden Cloud Village. You remember that from history class, right?" He nodded. "The Could village sent an ambassador here to try and settle an end to the war. One night, one of the Cloud ninja sneaked into the Hyuuga Compound. He... he kidnapped me. Before he could escape the grounds my father caught up with him: the man tried to fight but my father killed him. Father said they wanted my eyes so they could study the Byakugan. When Kumo heard what happened, they demanded my father's body be turned over to them. 'An even trade' they said, and threatened more war if their demands weren't met. The elder council of my clan would not allow the clan head to be handed over so easily, so they decided to send my uncle in his place. My father and uncle were twins, so Kumo would never know the difference."

"But they'd still get your eyes."

Hinata shook her head. "Because my father was the elder child, even though only by a few seconds, he was made the clan heir while my uncle was placed in the Branch family. Ever branch member is marked with a seal on their forehead, allowing Main house members to control them through pain: it can even be used to kill. The seal also destroys the Byakugan upon death, so that if a Branch Hyuuga ever dies in battle, the enemy can't get the secrets of our bloodline. Hizashi-oji was given to Kumo so that our secrets would still be protected, and they would think they had my father."

Naruto was nodding now. He was bothered by the idea that her family used seals to control each other, but he'd been taught growing up that many clans had odd and even questionable traditions. "I guess that makes sense... but how does this relate to you not having playmates?"

Sadness darkened the Hyuuga heiress' face revealing many years of pain. "Ojisan was Neji-niisan's father. I... I think he blames the Main house for his father's death: he never bothered to speak to me after that day, except for when he had to. He stopped playing with me, he grew very cold..."

"Jerk." Hinata's head snapped to her friend, only to find him scowling out at the lake. "I may have never known my parents, but he loses one and suddenly it's all your fault? That's probably the sorriest excuse I've ever heard." He turned back to her, and seeing her shock went on to clarify. "I shouldn't judge your clan, but I will say I think the whole sealing thing is dumb. Neji's probably right to be mad over that: I know I would be if someone could kill me without me ever having a fighting chance. But it's not your fault. You didn't mark him, and you didn't kill his father. If he needs to hate someone, hate your clan elders who chose to cave in to Kumo, or better yet hate Kumo itself for being backstabbing traitors during a peace talk."

"That won't work for him" she replied sullenly. "Kumo can't feel his need for justice, and if he acts out of line in any way to the elders they'll just activate his seal. Niisan feels trapped, and since he can't act out against the clan head, he takes it out on me instead. He's a genius, he's better at Jyuuken than I am, he's simply a better ninja. I know this, but it... it still hurts when he acts so cruel. And it hurts me to see him in so much pain all the time."

Naruto slid around the table and into the chair next to her, pulling the shaking girl into a hug. "It'll be alright Hinata-chan; like I said, it's not your fault. If Neji's as smart as you say he is, he'll figure out how much of a jerk he's been. And if not, well, I guess someone just might have to actually _beat_ the sense into him." He smiled down at her, causing the girl to smile back before realizing their closeness and turning as red as their dinner had been.

They shared a small desert before leaving and took a leisurely pace back toward the Hyuuga compound. Naruto entertained her with more stories of his childhood, from playing other games with the toads to watching his grandparents bicker like an old married couple. He made the mistake of mentioning it to them once and quickly found himself on the receiving end of death glares that would make even an Uchiha cringe. Before long, they were standing at the front gates of Hinata's home.

"Th-thank you for t-tonight, Naruto-kun" Hinata stammered. "I really enjoyed it."

The bijuu-jailer beamed. "Really? Great, I had a great time too."

The two stood in awkward silence. "Um..."

"I... I think I should go inside. Tomorrow's a r-really big day and we both need to get ready."

The boy relaxed. "Yeah, I guess your right. And I'm really glad you still had fun tonight; I didn't mean to drag things down at dinner. Sorry about that."

"No, no it's fine. It's actually kind of nice, having someone else understand things. Thank you."

Naruto smiled. "No problem. Well, I'll see you tomorrow!" Without warning he pulled the now-blushing heiress into the second hug of the evening, before offering a quick "Bye" and turning for home.

Dazed, Hinata practically floated to her room. Hanabi obviously had been spying, as she was now gagging as Hinata passed by, but the elder girl paid her no mind: nothing was going to ruin her night now. She quickly dressed for bed, and with a heavily contented sigh laid down on her futon, thoughts of blue eyes and blond hair chasing her into her dreams.

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**Author's Note:**

Hinata calls Hizashi 'Hizashi-oji' and 'ojisan' because _Oji_ means uncle, while _Ojii_ means grandfather. Pronounce one i for uncle, and two for grandfather. Odd to us English-speakers, but that's how the language works.

I'm not happy with how the date turned out. Satisfied yes, else it would not be posted, but not happy. I hit my first major writer's block with that scene and struggled for quite some time to overcome it: even so, it's not what I'd like it to be. And yes, most of the date was just a re-telling of 'how the Hyuuga clan works', but I see no other way to present the information appropriately. Instead, this gives Naruto an insight into Neji's personality, which may come in handy in the future.

For a picture of how Naruto and Hinata dressed for their date, search for "NaruHinataFIN-Dreams-Come-true-35138351" by Mickyoko on deviantArt. Thanks to Mickyoko for such a beautiful and inspiring piece of fanart.


	4. Graduation

Chapter 4: Graduation

The sun shone brightly in the morning sky. Birds chirped happily, squirrels flitted from tree to tree, and people went about their morning routines. Shop owners were opening their doors, putting goods out for display while the smell of fresh warm food wafted across the streets from Konoha's variety of morning eateries and food stands. At the Sannin home, however, things were slightly different.

"That can't be comfortable. How does he sleep like that?" the woman asked, staring at the strange sight. In front of her, Naruto lay sprawled across his futon, head hanging off a bottom corner, one foot under his pillow with the other tucked somewhere beneath him. The boy was completely tangled in his sheets and sound asleep.

"I gave up trying to figure that out years ago" her companion stated flatly, walking over to where he lay. He knelt down next to the blond, watching his peaceful sleep. **"Get up, gaki!"**

The bed exploded in a flurry of sheets, pillow and twelve-year-old boy as Naruto jolted into consciousness. "Who, wha… huh?" Blearily he focused on the source of his rude wakeup call. "Ojii-sennin, what the heck?"

Jiraiya just waved him off, acting disinterested. "And here I was trying to do you a favor. Fine, fine, go back to bed. I guess being a ninja doesn't matter that much to you, does it?"

Naruto was confused. "Ninja? What do you... oh crap!" The old hermit's meaning quickly caught up with him as Naruto looked at his alarm clock: in a flash he was out the door headed for the bathhouse. "Thanks Ojiisan, Neechan!"

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Naruto sped through the streets of Konoha, a veritable blur dodging in and out of the morning traffic. How could he have overslept? This was one of the milestones in his life and if he didn't hurry he'd miss the whole thing! Rounding a final corner he spotted his destination several blocks ahead: never had the Academy looked as good to his eyes as it did today. Today was the day he graduated; today, he became a _real_ Ninja.

Skidding to a steady walk he merged with the steady flow of students milling through the halls toward their respective classrooms. Most were younger students going through the normal morning routine, but a few stood out from the crowd. Akimichi Chouji leaned against the wall outside of their classroom, munching on a bag of chips. Iruka-sensei had told him last semester if he kept eating in class the portly boy would quickly find himself on a diet and exercise regimen overseen by Ino's mother: that had scared him into compliance, though it didn't stop him from eating whenever sensei wasn't around to see.

"Ohayo, Naruto-kuuuun!" a very girlish voice sounded from behind him. He didn't even have to turn around to know the source, though to be polite he did anyway. Sure enough, not a foot from him, stood a child barely half his height with rose-red cheeks crowned with twin puffs of flame-red hair.

Naruto frowned. "Moegi, how many times have I told you to quit that? Why don't you go flirt with Udon or Konohamaru?"

"Cause they're not as dreamy as you." Moegi pouted slightly. "You never pay attention to me" she whispered, grabbing onto his waist.

Naruto sighed as he tried prying the girl off of him. "I do pay attention, just not how you want me to." Finally, he managed to separate himself and push her off to class, only to hear chuckling coming from his own room.

"Still haven't gotten rid of your fangirls Naruto?" Chouji grinned knowingly.

The blond scowled. "Funny, Chouji, really funny. Maybe you should quit the whole Ninja thing and be a comedian instead."

The bigger boy just laughed.

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Iruka-sensei spared little time starting their tests, at least from Naruto's perspective. He gave a lecture on what the Gennin exams consisted of, the margins of error, and what would happen if they failed. The last seemed a little pointless: Naruto knew two who had failed last time and, when they were assigned a new class, told their new classmates all about it. There were very few students in the Ninja Academy who didn't have at least some idea of what the exams were, thanks to each test's failures spreading the word. No, he was more interested in what would happen _after_ passing. He only knew one person that made Gennin, but Neji-teme wasn't too interested in acknowledging Naruto's existence, let alone telling him anything about being a real Ninja. Since Neji graduated, every time they saw each other the elder boy's 'I'm-better-than-you' attitude seemed to get worse. The few words they'd exchanged left Naruto wanting to punch the smug grin off the Hyuuga's face. He'd show Neji... by the end of the day Naruto would make Gennin, and then he'd show that stuck-up ass how _real_ ninja acted.

Papers were passed out for the written exam, the likes of which Naruto loathed. Writing wasn't necessarily a problem, in fact his penmanship was excellent. Ojiisan had shown him what poor writing could cause when drawing out seals, and that was enough to convince the boy to strive for perfection when he wrote. Being blown up by a bad seal was not something he wanted to experience. As a handy side effect, he was pretty good at forging documents in other peoples' handwriting, something Shizune-neechan didn't appreciate whenever she'd find notes all over the house from 'Tsunade.' Once she found out they were fakes neechan had been nice enough to introduce him to poisons; after waiting an hour for the paralysis to wear off, never again did Naruto forge baachan's writing.

Next came practical skills like kunai- and shuriken-throwing, knot-tying, negotiating an obstacle course, taijutsu and other tests of a ninja's agility and physical skill. Chouji managed the obstacle course in time, which made Naruto happy, but the most entertaining part was watching Shikamaru run through it: never had Naruto seen the young Nara run so fast. Who knew the threat of his mother was such a powerful motivator for the otherwise lethargic boy? As for Naruto, it wasn't much harder than what they covered in class the past few years. His aim was in the upper level of his class, and negotiating the obstacles was only slightly harder than what they'd been trained for already. He figured it was meant to be hard as a first step toward weeding out the students who couldn't push themselves beyond their known limits. Taijutsu, well... toad-tag made for some interesting improvisations on the standard styles they were taught. Watching his classmates take their turns, he couldn't help but grimace when Sakura and Ino both managed to pass: they'd not grown any less obsessed with Sasuke and he could only hope he didn't end up on their team.

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"Alright class the last phase of this exam will consist of two parts, ninjutsu and genjutsu" Iruka informed them. "Given the difficult nature of genjutsu, it's not required that you pass that part in order to become a Gennin. However, if either Mizuki-sensei or myself feel you haven't even tried to pass the genjutsu, you'll be failed immediately. We'll start in alphabetical order: Aburame Shino, please follow me."

Sparing a glance Hinata had to suppress a giggle at the look of relief on Naruto's face: her poor best friend couldn't find his way out of a genjutsu if someone gave him a map and set up flashing lights. For as long as she'd known Naruto he'd never been any good at genjutsu: he could barely dispel an E-rank, if he knew it was there of course. He couldn't detect or create genjutsu at all. Her smile faded at the thought.

These exams were serious: it was the true beginning of their ninja careers. Going to the Academy was no guarantee of becoming a ninja, just as studying under a baker or carpenter didn't mean success in the trade as well. The exams reflected that harsh truth. The written exam was comprehensive, covering all six years of schooling, without any in-class review, and even some things they had not necessarily been taught in school. It was a common understanding, almost to the point of being expected, that Academy students would be taught certain things outside of class by their families. Ninja clans raised their children to carry on their clan's legacy, teaching clan-secret techniques, history, politics and many common ninja skills.

Her own was no different. As soon as she started walking Hinata began receiving instruction in the ways of the Hyuuga clan. She learned their place in the village, the history of her clan and how it related to several others. She was taught to use the clan's bloodline doujutsu, Byakugan, to see great distances, look at the chakra networks of others, and to find Tenketsu points to attack with Jyuuken, her family's private taijutsu style. In a way, Hinata found she preferred Jyuuken to other methods of combat, because it didn't damage the body in a visible manner. It wasn't that she was a cold-blooded killer who wanted to cover her tracks, although the ability to do so was valued in the ninja world. No, she merely didn't like seeing people in pain or any evidence that they had been. She was a kind person and hated when things resorted to violence. To her, a person who died by Jyuuken appeared merely to be sleeping, which her mother had said helped many Hyuuga avoid the mental breakdown that often came with a ninja's first few kills. And for that, Hinata was thankful: whenever she thought about the inevitable deaths she'd have to cause it made her queasy.

Silently admonishing her wandering thoughts, the blue-haired kunoichi-hopeful thought back to the topic at hand: Naruto and genjutsu. She prayed that they would figure out why he struggled with it so much, otherwise he'd be at a serious disadvantage on any mission he was assigned.

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Hinata was smiling as she walked past the classroom door, hitai-ite tied loosely around her neck. While succeeding in stifling a loud 'woo-hoo, way to go Hinata-chan!', Naruto didn't stop the face-splitting grin directed at her. She'd had doubts about passing the exams which he knew came from an underrated view of herself and her abilities. Hinata tried her hardest at everything, but nothing she ever did in anything ninja-related held a candle to what Neji-teme could do. Naruto may not have liked the stuck-up jerk, but he couldn't deny that Hyuuga Neji was an impressive shinobi. Many were calling him the 'prodigy of the Hyuuga' and putting him on the same bar as Sasuke. This, in turn, had led Neji to insult and deride Hinata at any chance he got. She hated the Caged Bird Seal and he knew she'd never use it on him, so there was nothing to stop him as long as Hiashi wasn't around. Whenever he was, Neji was the polite and respectful servant boy he was supposed to be, so either Hiashi wasn't aware of how he acted, or he wasn't doing anything about it.

Either way, it pissed Naruto off.

He was always there to boost his friend's spirits after Neji would so effortlessly demolish them, and he never compared her to him. If her cousin was a genius, fine, he was a genius. Hinata wasn't, and it wasn't right that Neji thought everyone should be as good as him. It was just one more strike against that prick that Naruto was going to make him answer for one day. He never doubted Hinata's abilities, never considered that she might not pass the exams, and never, _ever_, thought she was weak. That seemed to be Neji's favorite insult: calling her weak.

Interrupting his internal tirade against the older shinobi, Shikamaru walked back in, also with a headband, though tied around his arm, and Mizuki called him over. "Naruto, you're up. Come on." With a nod, the boy directed a smile toward his friend before going out the door.

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Umino Iruka had been teaching long enough to understand how children were influenced by their peers, and the exam room reflected that: except for a table of hitai-ite the room was completely empty. It was supposed to make things easier for students who were afraid of ridicule if they failed, or those who simply didn't perform well in the spotlight. It also was a safeguard in case one of them lost control during their ninjutsu test: at least no other children would be hurt.

He looked back at his current Gennin-hopeful, Naruto. He was a fairly average student ranking in the upper half of his class, despite the semi-occasional prank and his fairly laid-back attitude. Iruka supposed that was probably to be expected, given his family ties. Tsunade-sama and Jiraiya-sama were very powerful ninja, so it was little wonder that Tsunade's son would follow in their footsteps; if anything, it was a wonder that Naruto wasn't _more_ powerful. To come from origins such as his and only be slightly above average... the Chuunin just shrugged it off. _'Probably didn't want to push him too hard.'_

"Alright Naruto, which test do you want to do first" Iruka asked, "genjutsu or ninjutsu?"

Naruto put on a thoughtful face. "Uh... let's go with genjutsu since I suck at it."

_'Well that's a surprise' _Iruka thought. He knew Naruto's record with genjutsu was abysmal. Most kids would want to avoid something they weren't good at, especially when being judged on their performance. But this boy not only acknowledged that he was bad at it, he chose to face it first. He made a mental note to make sure Naruto was placed with a Jounin that would further foster that attitude of gracious understanding of one's limits.

"Alright then, I'll explain the rules then" Mizuki stated. "Since you know you're being put under the jutsu it's pointless to test if you can detect it; you're sensei will work on that with you if you pass this exam. We won't test you on creating one because as Iruka-sensei said earlier, genjutsu is difficult, more so than most D-rank Gennin skills. All you have to do here is get out of the jutsu we put you under." He glanced over to Iruka before looking back to Naruto. "You'll have five minutes to release yourself. If you don't make it out in time, you'll fail this part of the exam. If you don't make any effort to get out, you'll fail the entire exam without further consideration."

"Ninja don't have the luxury of simply giving up when they can't do something" Iruka finished. "You have to keep trying until you can't try anymore. Understand?" The boy nodded. "Alright, you have five minutes starting... now."

With that, Naruto's world went black.

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Five minutes later the illusion faded and Naruto was back in the exam room. When the blackness lifted he found the genjutsu wasn't anything special: they'd simply put him inside a big room with no doors, windows or any way out. And as expected, he couldn't break free. So it wasn't any disappointment to him when his teachers informed him he'd failed.

"Told you" he quipped smartly.

Mizuki poorly stifled a chuckle while Iruka half-glared at him.

"Alright, ninjutsu. Compared to the genjutsu portion this should be pretty easy" the elder Chuunin informed him. "First, show is the most complex Henge you can perform."

"Uh, okay." Naruto ran through the hand seals and when the puff of smoke cleared, Naruto was nowhere to be found.

Iruka blinked. "Where did he go?" Suddenly he felt weight resting on his head, and reaching up he pulled off a large orange and blue toad, several times larger than any he had seen in Konoha in over a decade. The toad just stared back at him, until it's mouth dropped open mimicking a very familiar grin. With a flick of his wrist, the scarred man tossed the creature away where it reverted back to his student. "Smart-alek. Not bad though, I thought you'd try for someone like your grandfather, or Mizuki-sensei here."

Naruto mock-pouted. "Where's the fun in that? Besides, you wanted the hardest Henge I can do and that's it. Transforming into other people is hard enough, but changing into a whole different animal is way harder."

His teachers looked somewhat stunned, but Naruto didn't care. "So what's next?"

"Using the Bunshin no Jutsu, give us three clones copied as perfectly as you can get them" Mizuki recovered. "With someone of your creative skill that shouldn't be too hard" he added wryly.

Naruto frowned. He hated the Bunshin no Jutsu. The clones were little more than an illusion: they couldn't actually _do_ anything. What was the point of a jutsu that didn't actually do anything? Now, material clones, like Water- and Mud-clones, _those_ were something useful. Sure, a ninja couldn't create a lot of them at one time, but at least each clone was solid, could hold a weapon and actually _hurt_ the enemy. Besides, bunshin were hard to make. "Ugh, okay."

He began gathering chakra, running through the necessary hand signs to mold it into shape. That's when the pain started. It began as a subtle pressure in his abdomen, quickly building to an all-consuming push that felt as though his body would explode if he let it go on any longer. _'Crap, gotta let it go, now!' _Finishing the final seal, he released the chakra and eighteen perfect replicas of the blond-haired powerhouse appeared around the room. Said blond clutched his throbbing belly, but grinned at his success.

His sensei, however, stood silent and examined each clone. "You only needed three Naruto" Mizuki dryly reminded him, "trying to impress us by making more won't get you any extra credit you know."

"Oh come on, give me a break sensei." Naruto scowled. "That's as few as I can do."

Iruka finished his scrutiny of a nearby clone and faced his student. "What do you mean Naruto? Molding chakra is a lot harder than drawing it out and you made all of these clones perfectly. You should have more than enough control to make just three."

Naruto straightened up, his abdomen having finally stopped feeling like something was trying to claw it's way out. "You're right sensei, molding chakra _is_ easier than drawing it out. But getting chakra out isn't the problem: keeping it _in_ is."

The two teachers glanced at each other, neither understanding what the boy was getting at. "Explain."

The young blond frowned again, trying to think of a way to explain what he meant. Finally, the answer came to him. "It's like when you were teaching us about chakra control, sensei. 'Everybody's got a 'faucet' on their chakra reserve which they turn on in order to get chakra for jutsu. Whenever you turn on the faucet, a slow stream of chakra comes out to be used'." The older Chuunin nodded, recalling the lecture. "Me, well... I don't really have a faucet: it's more like a fire hose. Every time I try to get chakra for a jutsu I don't get a stream: I get a flood. Holding it back's hard, and if I hold back too long it actually hurts. Then I lose my concentration and botch the technique. I guess eighteen is as long as I can hold it back, at least for this jutsu." He finished the explanation and waited for his teachers' response, since neither man looked like he could speak at the moment.

Both had been stunned silent. Never before in his years of teaching had Iruka heard of a ninja with a chakra reserve so great he couldn't control it. Not once, not even among powerful ninja like the boy's grandparents, or the various Hokage of the village. It was literally unheard of.

Finally Iruka returned to the present, though Mizuki still fixed Naruto with a thoughtful, appraising eye. "Does Lady Tsunade know about this Naruto, or Master Jiraiya?"

He nodded. "Sure. It started as soon as we started practicing jutsu so I told baachan about it. Oji-sennin said it's just a control issue that I'll work out in time, kind of like how you build up a tolerance for pain with taijutsu. He said with enough practice I'll be able to tolerate this too." The boy shrugged, then donned a megawatt grin.

"So, do I pass?"

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Naruto sauntered out of the Academy, hitai-ite proudly affixed to his forehead, and Hinata couldn't help but smile; he passed. She never doubted he would: he was just so strong and confident it seemed that nothing really bothered him. The heiress had had reservations about passing the exams, even with the kind words from her father and the unyielding support of her best friend. But it had buoyed her spirits well enough and she was so excited when Iruka-sensei handed her her headband, which she promptly tied about her neck.

Unlike most ninja in the village, Main family Hyuuga did not wear their hitai-ite over their foreheads. Branch members did so in order to hide the seal they bore, but for a Main family member to cover their unadorned brow was considered a great dishonor to the clan, as though one was ashamed of their place. She was not ashamed of her place but would have preferred wearing it in the common way as a show of equality, a display that she did not hold herself higher than others. Unfortunately, to do so would have dishonored her father as well and she could not do that to her Otou-san. So, the insignia hung comfortably from her neck.

She ran over to her friend, who promptly scooped her up into a crushing bear-hug. This, of course, resulted in the bluenette taking on a hue normally reserved for cooked crustaceans, but she didn't faint like she had occasionally in the past. She was too excited for that, and instead just hugged him back. "I knew you'd pass Naruto-kun."

Naruto released her, barely noting an odd feeling of... loss, like he'd forgotten something, or it was missing. Shaking the feeling off he smiled at his best friend. "Yep! I told you we were gonna pass today, no problem! No worries, no fear, 'cause we're too good to stay here!" Hinata couldn't suppress her giggling anymore, collapsing into a fit on right in front of the Academy. Naruto pretended to be hurt, before joining her in laughter at the silliness of his unintended rhyme.

Their mirth was cut short, however, when Iruka-sensei and Mizuki-sensei stepped through the doors, closely following a smiling Sandaime Hokage. The group quickly quieted in the presence of of their leader. "I want to congratulate you" he began, " each of you, on the culmination of your training. You have spent many years working toward this day, studying, practicing, training in the ways of the shinobi. Many of your classmates withdrew over the years, some overcome by the strain, others unwilling to put forth the effort. But you, you suffered through the necessary hardships of your schooling, bear the bruises and scars with pride, and today it has all paid off: today you have proven yourselves worthy to bear the mark of the Leaf. Wear it with pride, uphold the values it represents, and bring it honor. I welcome each of you, as the newest Shinobi of Konohagakure. May the Will of Fire be with you all."

The crowd burst into applause, proud that their Hokage recognized them as full-fledged Shinobi, not just another group of students. Many of them were starting to understand what their parents meant about how great a man the Hokage was. Iruka stepped up next to the aged leader to deliver his final speech to yet another, now former, group of his students.

"From now on, you are ninja. This group will be separated into teams of three and each team assigned a Jounin sensei. Your sensei will have much they can teach you, things the likes of which you likely have never imagined, and you would do well to listen to them just as you have listened to me, for the most part anyway, for the last six years. On occasion, your team may be called upon to execute a mission for the village. Given that you only just became Gennin this morning, you can rest assured that your missions will rarely take you out of the village." Some of the kids groaned a little at this, and Iruka frowned. "It's for your own safety. You still have a lot to learn about being a shinobi and about how the world works outside of school. Once you have enough of these simple missions behind you, your team may be considered for more... exciting missions. However" he said, cutting off the eager looks the groaners had sprouted, "make no mistake: it's a dangerous world beyond our walls. Some missions are dangerous, and people get hurt. Sometimes, they don't come back alive, if at all. So before you think about pestering your sensei for advanced missions you aren't ready for, understand that in the ninja world we live in, getting in over your head can get you killed very quickly. Are you ready to accept that? Are you ready to die?"

He let the questions hang, allowing the new ninja to think about it for a moment. Satisfied having made his point, the Chuunin teacher finished his speech. "I wish each of you the best of luck in your careers. I know the future of Konoha is bright and will be served well by the group standing in front of me. Team assignments will be announced here tomorrow at eleven. And welcome to the Leaf Shinobi Corps."

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Naruto beamed. The Hokage acknowledged them, Iruka-sensei wished them luck... all that was left was to go home and tell his family he passed. But the afternoon routine demanded something else first. "Come on Hinata-chan, let's go tell your father we passed!" The younger girl smiled, then blushed gracefully when he grabbed her hand, pulling her toward her home.

Yes, the future looked bright indeed.

------------------------------

**Author's Note:**

Ojii-sennin translates as "grandpa-sage": Naruto doesn't know Jiraiya's a super pervert yet, so no Ero-sennin comments. I made the word up but I feel its close enough to proper Japanese to be effective.


End file.
